Team Science Award

The purpose of the Team Science Award is to stimulate the development of high-quality, multi-investigator (minimum of three) program project grants that will develop into extramurally-funded grant awards. 

Purpose and Overview | Eligibility | Evaluation | Awardees

Purpose and Overview

Projects with translational potential are encouraged, but not mandatory. Inter-programmatic and inter-institutional teams are highly encouraged. MUSC Hollings Cancer Center leadership anticipates distributing awards up to $150,000 per year for up to two years. Year 2 is contingent on the submission of an annual progress report (month 11) and a presentation to Hollings leadership showing satisfactory progress toward project goals. The presentation will be scheduled by a member of the Hollings administration team.

Additional progress reports are expected upon project completion and annually for five years following the conclusion of the award. Any no-cost extensions will require prior approval. Sources of funding for the award include the Hollings Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA138313), fundraising from the LOWVELO bike ride, and other Hollings philanthropy/foundation accounts.

PIs are expected to obtain regulatory approvals [e.g., IACUC and IRB] within three months of award decision. Please note that funding cannot be released until all applicable human subject and animal protocols have been approved and copies have provided. For more information or questions regarding the Hollings Team Science Award, eligibility, or the application process, please contact Renee Steffen (steffenr@musc.edu).

Eligibility

• Proposed research must be cancer-relevant.
• Applications must propose a team comprising at least three investigators/project leaders and projects supporting a unifying scientific theme.
• Must be an MUSC faculty member. 
• Research must take place, and expenditures incurred, at MUSC.
• The overall PI(s) must have a strong track record of peer-reviewed funding (active R01 grant or equivalent).
• All awarded PIs and project leads are encouraged to participate as a registered rider in the annual LOWVELO bike ride event and actively participate in HCC research program meetings and retreats.

Evaluation

Each full application will be assigned to internal and external reviewers who have substantial expertise in cancer research and in reviewing programmatic, center-level grants.

Review criteria include:

• Standard NIH criteria (significance, innovation, approach, and investigative team).         
• Likelihood that preliminary results will lead to external, peer-reviewed funding.
• Program project synergy (synergy, leadership, strength of the investigators, productivity, and potential impact of the proposed research).
• Participation in Hollings Cancer Center programs (e.g., attend program meetings, participate in grant review panels, participate in annual research symposia, etc.).    
• The Future Funding Plan (see instructions) must describe how the funds will provide data that is critical to future extramural grant application(s).
• When appropriate, describe the likelihood that research will ultimately produce intellectual property, such as patents.